Chargers

A battery charger is a device used to put energy into a cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.

A simple charger works by connecting a constant DC power source to the battery being charged. If you are not very watchful, a simple charger can harm or even kill your battery by overcharging it. Timed chargers are not much better. What you really want is an intelligent charger. Yes, they do cost more, but they will save you money in the long run. Intelligent chargers monitor the battery's voltage, temperature and/or time under charge, and determines the optimum charge current at each instant. Charging stops when a combination of the voltage, temperature and/or time indicates that the battery is fully charged.

Since Universal Serial Busses provides a five-volt power supply, it's possible to use a USB cable as a power source for recharging batteries. Products based on this approach include chargers designed to charge standard and custom NiMH batteries with built-in USB plugs and circuitry that eliminate the need for a separate charger. Chargers may or may not have voltage regulation or filtering of the DC voltage ouput. If they have both, they tend to be called battery eliminators.

Manufacturers of mobil phones use lots of tricks to force users to stick with them, and this includes creating a wide variety of connector styles and voltages, most of which are incompatible with other manufacturers' phones. Sometimes, even though the connector may fit, the actual charging parameters may not, which can produce an inadequate charge or even permanent damage to the device. As we have been saying in the business world ever since ancient Roman times, Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware!). Check the specs. for the charger that interests you, and you should be just fine.

Here at Onhop.ca, we never forget who provides the money that lets us butter our parsnips; it is you, the satisfied customer who keeps on coming back because we treated you right. We are on your side for that very good reason.